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Post by rational on Jul 20, 2014 18:34:30 GMT -5
Beware of those atheists. They might ask you questions you do not like or voice opinions that grate like a mouthful of sand!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2014 18:43:55 GMT -5
Beware of those atheists. They might ask you questions you do not like or voice opinions that grate like a mouthful of sand! I know I should post this comment on the 'personal attack' thread, but really Rational, is your new avatar your best attempt at a cat in a crock pot?
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Post by rational on Jul 20, 2014 19:01:38 GMT -5
Beware of those atheists. They might ask you questions you do not like or voice opinions that grate like a mouthful of sand! I know I should post this comment on the 'personal attack' thread, but really Rational, is your new avatar your best attempt at a cat in a crock pot? I was trying not to scare off the new guest.... Just add herbs and some butter.
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Post by xna on Jul 20, 2014 19:05:43 GMT -5
Beware of those atheists. They might ask you questions you do not like or voice opinions that grate like a mouthful of sand! There's worse that those unbelieving atheists..... 1 Timothy 8 "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2014 19:09:43 GMT -5
I know I should post this comment on the 'personal attack' thread, but really Rational, is your new avatar your best attempt at a cat in a crock pot? I was trying not to scare off the new guest.... Just add herbs and some butter. I shouda knowed better.
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Post by Ted Carolus on Jul 20, 2014 20:35:02 GMT -5
Hi stanw!
Welcome to TMB. I found your post refreshing in the sense that you represented many friend's beliefs and attitudes so sincerely. I come from a 4th generation professing family that is steeped in the meeting tradition. It was a tough shock for them when my wife and I left the fellowship 4 years ago. They had no reason to question the fellowship and I come along and raise questions about what they have held dear their whole lives. It is not an easy thing for them to deal with but they have been as understanding and loving as possible. I say all this to sympathize with how this new information has caused you to react. Their have been some posts that I believe you should find helpful in coming to understand the issues we ex-friends raise and discuss. If you come to realize that neither the way nor the people are perfect, my prayer for you is that this would be the beginning of you realizing that our salvation is based on a personal relationship with God, not being part of a perfect fellowship. Christ is the only pefection that ever has been, or ever will be, part of this world.
Over the last 4 years, I have been able to enjoy more and more of the wonderful aspects of the fellowship and let go of some of the things that bothered me or with which I disagree. I hope that you are able to open up to some of the serious issues that are raised here. You have my understanding about the difficulty in doing this. My greatest hope is that you become aware of these difficilt issues and consider how you might help improve the fellowship. We have many family members and friends in the fellowship whom we love that would benefit from that improvement, even if they are unaware at the moment.
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Post by snow on Jul 20, 2014 21:29:46 GMT -5
I know I should post this comment on the 'personal attack' thread, but really Rational, is your new avatar your best attempt at a cat in a crock pot? I was trying not to scare off the new guest.... Just add herbs and some butter. Look what you've done Hberry!!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2014 21:53:44 GMT -5
I was trying not to scare off the new guest.... Just add herbs and some butter. Look what you've done Hberry!! Yeah, and you'd think I'd know better!
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Post by emy on Jul 20, 2014 22:37:28 GMT -5
Beware of those atheists. They might ask you questions you do not like or voice opinions that grate like a mouthful of sand! I know I should post this comment on the 'personal attack' thread, but really Rational, is your new avatar your best attempt at a cat in a crock pot? It's a turkey, Hb, a turkey!!
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Post by faune on Jul 20, 2014 22:53:18 GMT -5
Look what you've done Hberry!! Yeah, and you'd think I'd know better! Hberry ~ I guess Rational could always crop that picture of the kitty in the covered pan as his avatar, but the cat lovers on TMB would probably disapprove most fervently.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2014 23:36:58 GMT -5
I know I should post this comment on the 'personal attack' thread, but really Rational, is your new avatar your best attempt at a cat in a crock pot? It's a turkey, Hb, a turkey!! Oh NOW you tell me!
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Post by dmmichgood on Jul 21, 2014 0:35:41 GMT -5
I know I should post this comment on the 'personal attack' thread, but really Rational, is your new avatar your best attempt at a cat in a crock pot? It's a turkey, Hb, a turkey!! Yeh, sure it is an illusion! I just looks like a cute little cat! My daughter has one cat that loves to curl up in a basket or some other tight spot, even the lavatory.
I just found out from today's Parade magazine why cats do that. Seems cats in the wild like to take refuge in enclosed spaces.
So you see Rational didn't really put his kitty in the frying pan. It just crawled in the pan and Rational came along & put on a lid so the cat would feel even more secure.
Rational is a real pushover when it comes to kitty cats.
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Post by dmmichgood on Jul 21, 2014 0:38:58 GMT -5
Beware of those atheists. They might ask you questions you do not like or voice opinions that grate like a mouthful of sand! Or they could make you take a good look at religions and that can be most painful.
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Post by dmmichgood on Jul 21, 2014 0:47:43 GMT -5
I joined this site because I thought I would find other professing friends to chat with. ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Anyone have alternative suggestions? I think there is a FaceBook site or two which might meet the desire indicated. Also, perhaps someone could indicate for the writer who are the professing here with which he might chat or follow. Just had the thought, "Should there be a 'professing' only sub-board?" There is a '"professing' only" board somewhere on the internet. I found it once. You have to register as a Professing person with references. I can't remember how I found it.
If you ask Cherie, I'm sure she can help you find it.
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Post by rjkee on Jul 21, 2014 4:48:40 GMT -5
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Post by rational on Jul 21, 2014 7:02:27 GMT -5
It's a turkey, Hb, a turkey!! Yeh, sure it is an illusion! I just looks like a cute little cat! :D My daughter has one cat that loves to curl up in a basket or some other tight spot, even the lavatory.
I just found out from today's Parade magazine why cats do that. Seems cats in the wild like to take refuge in enclosed spaces.
So you see Rational didn't really put his kitty in the frying pan. It just crawled in the pan and Rational came along & put on a lid so the cat would feel even more secure.
Rational is a real pushover when it comes to kitty cats. (rofl)
Oh, you caught me! I thought its fur looked dry and had a funky smell so before I added the cover for security I threw in some butter and herbs. And then I thought "Maybe Kitty is cold" so I turned on the heat. Who knew that the woman on the phone (Rachel, perhaps) would want to talk at such great length about reducing my credit card interest rate. Oh well. All's well that ends medium rare.
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Post by emy on Jul 21, 2014 11:31:48 GMT -5
Yeh, sure it is an illusion! I just looks like a cute little cat! My daughter has one cat that loves to curl up in a basket or some other tight spot, even the lavatory.
I just found out from today's Parade magazine why cats do that. Seems cats in the wild like to take refuge in enclosed spaces.
So you see Rational didn't really put his kitty in the frying pan. It just crawled in the pan and Rational came along & put on a lid so the cat would feel even more secure.
Rational is a real pushover when it comes to kitty cats.
Oh, you caught me! I thought its fur looked dry and had a funky smell so before I added the cover for security I threw in some butter and herbs. And then I thought "Maybe Kitty is cold" so I turned on the heat. Who knew that the woman on the phone (Rachel, perhaps) would want to talk at such great length about reducing my credit card interest rate. Oh well. All's well that ends medium rare. Yeah, right, R!! That cat is obviously being served at a table and there is nothing medium rare about it! It's living and maybe terrified? I was going to post the same thing as DMG did about cats liking to curl up cozy, etc.
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Post by openingact34 on Jul 21, 2014 22:34:27 GMT -5
I joined this site because I thought I would find other professing friends to chat with. ...but so far in reading through some posts I just find alot of bitterness and disgruntled people. Some comments appear to be from young folks whose parents are making them go to meeting. (Why do we have to go to meeting..etc..) . Other posts seem to be from bitter "ex-professing" people. It seems strange to me that when people stop coming to meeting they never can seem to leave it behind, always wanting to take others out with them . If you take a look at forums for ex-Mormons, ex-JWs, etc, you'll find many discussions are similar to here. I'm sure they are considered "bitter" as well, but we aren't all that different. Growing up in a highly legalistic environment leaves a definite mark on you and it's always great to talk with others who can relate to the unique experiences and issues.
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Post by Scott Ross on Jul 22, 2014 0:30:11 GMT -5
Like this forum: www.jehovahswitnessrecovery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13701Message To Any Curious Jehovah's Witnesses Who Are Visiting Postby Fugue » Tue Jul 10, 2012 3:39 pm We have a lot of visitors to this site who are not members of the forum. Perhaps you were at your District Convention and heard various warnings that you shouldn't look at anything online about Jehovah's Witnesses, aside from the official information on their websites. Does that sound right to you? Do you really believe that just one glance at a website could be enough for you to lose your spiritual balance and fall prey to Satan? If you believe the Watchtower's warnings that critical information can quickly erode your faith, does that seem plausible? The Watchtower constantly tells us that we have "The Truth." We are the only religion in the world who has the Truth. Shouldn't Truth, real truth, be able to stand up to critical thinking? Let me put it this way: think of other facts that you hold as "truths" in your life. For example, you know beyond all doubt that the earth orbits the sun. This is a truth. No amount of critical thinking, no alternative theories, could change your faith in that "truth." If you visited a website that claimed to have reliable proof that the earth was the center of the universe and every star, including the sun, actually orbits the earth... could that information shake your faith in what you know to be true? Absolutely not. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Truth can stand up to scrutiny.So, shouldn't the same be said about the body of teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses? It is called "The Truth." Shouldn't it stand up to scrutiny?At this point, you might be thinking to yourself: "But the end is SO CLOSE. I don't have time to be doubting! What if I get myself involved in critical research and I begin to doubt. I will be caught unprepared when the Great Tribulation breaks out!" This is what the Watchtower Society wants you to think. This is what psychologists call a "thought stopping process," and it can cause you to remain mentally trapped in a path of circular logic. When I first had questions about my beliefs, I had to break that cycle before I could make any progress. For me, I was basically stuck in a feedback loop. It went something like this: Is the world really about to end at Armageddon? I don't know, it doesn't sound right to me. I need to research it and see if my beliefs are really correct. But I don't have time to research it because... the world is about to end at Armageddon. Is the world really about to end at Armageddon? ...and on, and on, and on. I had to break the loop by forcing myself to answer the question: NO, the world is NOT about to end at Armageddon, at least not before I address some of my doubts. The Watchtower wants you to think that YOU DON'T HAVE ANY TIME to do additional research. Salesmen frequently use a similar strategy: the "Limited Time Offer" strategy. When a salesman is really pressuring you for a sale, he may tell you that "this offer will be gone tomorrow... you need to act NOW if you want to get this! You DON'T HAVE TIME TO COMPARE THIS PRODUCT TO OTHER PRODUCTS, BECAUSE TOMORROW THE DEAL WILL BE GONE!" This builds a false sense of urgency and is designed to convince the buyer to just go ahead and get this thing right now, while it's available, since it will be gone tomorrow. The Watchtower creates that same false sense of urgency in all of us. We are told that there is NO TIME to investigate the veracity of our beliefs. "YOU CAN'T RESEARCH THIS! THE END WILL COME WHILE YOU'RE DOING IT!" You'll just have to go with your gut on this one. I went with my gut almost two years ago, and so far Armageddon has not stopped me from investigating "The Truth." The facts that I have found in my research have been eye-opening and spiritually reorienting. Others on this forum went with their guts 2 years ago, 5 years ago, 10, 20 or more years ago.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2014 13:45:44 GMT -5
Thx for posting Scott
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Post by whyisitso on Jul 22, 2014 16:11:35 GMT -5
Hmmmm..... Disappointed. That's the word I would use to describe the actions of the majority of the workers in my last year of meetings..... Totally Disappointed in their words and actions.
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Post by withlove on Jul 22, 2014 18:41:25 GMT -5
You joined before I did, but I'll say like others that it's nice to see people with the perspective you have here. Personally, it's easier to understand topics better when I hear different viewpoints. You sound exactly like me two years ago.
Just a comment on bitterness. God and Jesus experience anger and bitterness when they are hurt and disappointed by evil. Those emotions are not sinful in themselves. You can't love innocence and purity and righteousness and not get upset when you see that being damaged.
Every cult I've heard about will call their exes blind and/or bitter. It does not matter what the reason was for the exit. The fault is always the ex's and never the system's. There is no genuine, humble effort to apologize and make right whatever was wrong (maybe I am wrong and there have been exceptions?) That was eye-opening to me that our way behaved no differently from "real" cults.
Example: whenever Scientology has a PR nightmare b/c another person escapes and tells his/her story, they publish a statement calling the ex a "bitter apostate." The only people who buy that line are people still trapped in the Scientology mind-trap. Everyone else knows the church is trying to discredit an honest person and continue on with its abuses.
Editing to say sorry I missed reading page two before I posted this, so didn't know others had already referenced the bitter thing and other cults.
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Post by dmmichgood on Jul 23, 2014 13:58:03 GMT -5
I know I should post this comment on the 'personal attack' thread, but really Rational, is your new avatar your best attempt at a cat in a crock pot? It's a turkey, Hb, a turkey!! YOU, emy, need new glasses! That's NO turkey!
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Post by Annan on Jul 23, 2014 15:36:00 GMT -5
It's a turkey, Hb, a turkey!! YOU, emy, need new glasses! That's NO turkey! You're kidding, right? It sure looks like a turkey to me.
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Post by snow on Jul 23, 2014 17:05:28 GMT -5
To me it looks like a cartoon lion face with a mane. Rorschach. What do we see haha!
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Post by dmmichgood on Jul 23, 2014 22:41:05 GMT -5
YOU, emy, need new glasses! That's NO turkey! You're kidding, right? It sure looks like a turkey to me. Sorry, sorry!!
I thought we were talking about the kitty in the skillet!
I think you & emy are right.
Kinda' looks like a Kindergarten rendition of a thanksgiving turkey! Actually, pretty accurate picture.
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Post by dmmichgood on Jul 23, 2014 22:47:01 GMT -5
To me it looks like a cartoon lion face with a mane. Rorschach. What do we see haha! Hey! You might right! Does kinda' resemble a lion with a mane.
Who said a picture is better than a thousand words? Sometimes, -but not this time!
So, rational? Are you going to enlighten us on what your avatar represents?
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Post by emy on Jul 23, 2014 23:01:41 GMT -5
It's a turkey, Hb, a turkey!! YOU, emy, need new glasses! That's NO turkey! I just got new glasses and it sure is, unless R says different. Here's how I figures it out: Thinking that orange thing was a carrot, I started looking for bunny ears. No bunny ears, no ears of any kind, really. There was a colorful fan around it and wait!!... could that yellow thing be a beak?? Of course! And the red thing is the wattle.
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